1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a valve device for transferring a transfer medium, said valve device having an inflow, an outflow and two valve disks which are arranged one behind another in the direction of flow and are pivotable about a common rotational axis for opening and closing the lumen which surrounds them.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention also relates to a method for transferring a transfer medium using a valve device, the inflow of which is connected to a first container which contains the transfer medium and the outflow of which is connected to a second container which receives the transfer medium.
Insofar as transfer media contained in a first container are to be transferred into a separate second container, the problem of preventing said media contaminating the environment frequently arises. Thus, for example, a powdery filtering aid (diatomite/diatomaceous earth), which is transferred as a transfer medium out of a first container into a second container, is used for a precoat filtration. Diatomite, however, is also suspected of being able to trigger respiratory illnesses up to and including bronchiolar carcinomas as a result of its proportions of crystalline particles which pass into the alveolar ducts. As this, however, is only applicable for dry dust like particle forms, it is necessary when working with such filtering aids to take preventive technological measures which, to the greatest possible extent, prevent the development or the release of diatomite dust into the environment and make breathing it in completely impossible. In this case, the use of single-use products in biotechnology has proved to be particularly safe. In the case of single-use products, it is advantageous when they do not comprise any metal and when they are realized in a relatively simple and cost-efficient manner.
FR 2 770 426 A1 makes known arranging a valve device with two valves which are connected one behind the other between a first container with a powdery transfer medium and a second container into which the transfer medium is to be transferred. In this case, the first valve is associated with the first container and the second valve is associated with the second container.
In this case, it is disadvantageous that the two valves are connected together by means of a connecting arrangement which comprises an intermediate space. The intermediate space of the connecting arrangement has to be cleaned prior to separating the containers from one another in order to prevent contamination of the environment.
Insofar as two flap valves, as are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 1,857,477, are connected one behind another, there is the above-depicted problem of the intermediate space between the flaps or valve disks having to be rid of a possible contamination prior to separation, for example as a result of rinsing.
DE 10 2008 034 341 A1 makes known a valve device for transferring a transfer medium, said valve device having an inflow, an outflow and two valve disks which are arranged one behind another in the direction of flow and are pivotable about a common rotational axis for opening and closing the lumen surrounding them.
Here too, it is disadvantageous that in the open state the valve plates are in each case contaminated from their two sides. Such a two-way valve for the transfer of hot exhaust gas flows in exhaust gas installations is also not designed for the transfer of particulate transfer media avoiding the development of dust.
It is an object of the present invention, consequently, to create a valve device which, once a transfer medium has been transferred, enables separation of the inflow and outflow without expensive cleaning and without contaminating the environment. In addition, the device is to be designed in a simple manner and is to be suitable for cost-efficient use as a single-use product.
A further object is to provide a method for transferring a transfer medium using a corresponding valve device.